Working in live music: jobs guide
Live music is doing very well at the moment, meaning more people are considering working in this area. But what jobs are available in the world of gigs, tours and festivals?
Promoter
Not to be confused with the people who publicise music, in the live music industry the promoters are the people who produce gigs, concerts, tours and shows, ie put up the money and make the event happen.
Promoters liaise with ‘booking agents’ or, in some cases, directly with bands, and with a venue, to arrange for a show to take place. They agree dates and fees with the agents, band and venue, and take care of all the incidentals the band needs in place, such as hotels, backline (technical equipment) and riders (food and drink on the night of the gig). They’ll set up the sound check times, work out the running order of the show and look after payments. Promoters are also normally responsible for marketing the gig – alerting the local press and radio, getting posters put up, printing and distributing flyers, and making sure any mailing lists are contacted.
Typically, promoters have one of two kinds of deals with the acts; they’ll either pay them a fee or split the proceeds of the door. They will probably pay the venue a fee too, though some venues often make most of their money on bar sales, so some promoters will negotiate down that fee. The promoter makes his money from ticket sales.
Live music promoters range for individuals to multi-national corporations. The big music promotor companies will have A&R, marketing and PR departments similar to those in a record label – more details on which are given here
Booking Agent
Bookings agents are the people who book gigs for artists. Each agent will represent a ‘roster’ of artists, and will usually work hand in hand with an artist’s management and record label to make sure that they are getting as much of the right kind of exposure as possible. Agents will try to get gigs for their artists by contacting venues and promoters and pitching their acts to them. They negotiate pay and all necessary arrangements with promoters and venues, sorting out backline, rider, guest list and accommodation. Agents shouldn’t be confused with managers. A booking agent will only usually be involved in getting an artist live music bookings, and not in negotiating deals relating to other parts of their career – that is the manager’s job.
Venue management
The range of music venues is huge and varied, from vast arenas and stadiums to tiny, intimate bars and clubs. Venues hire out their performance spaces to promoters, while some also stage their own events, and in that way are promoters themselves. The job of a venue manager differs dramatically depending on the venue’s size, but in most cases they will be responsible for providing a professional sound system and experienced sound engineers, arranging equipment for artists, and providing bars, security and other facilities. A venue will also have a marketing person (or department) who will promote events taking place there – often concerts are publicised by two people, the promoter staging the gig and the venue hosting it, both of which want as many people to come as possible. A venue may also handle ticket sales.
Tour Manager
A tour manager ensures live music tours run smoothly and successfully. Handling the logistics and productivity of maybe dozens of people, the tour manager is responsible for both band and crew. Tour managers make all travel arrangements, sort out accounts and per diems (each employee’s daily expense allowance, usually for food and drink), and ensure that everyone is present and on time to do their job. They take artists to interviews, photo shoots, and meetings, as well as to sound checks and performances. As the main liaison point between everyone involved with an artist while they are on tour (promoter, label, manager, the artist themsleves) the tour manager makes sure everyone is kept up to date with any changes or developments.
Sound Technicians/Engineers
A sound technician supervises sound levels during a live show. This involves everything from planning and installing speakers on stage before the show, to sound mixing and running ‘foldback’ during the show (that’s the sound the band hears on stage – in big venues the music coming out of the speakers in the auditorium would be too distorted to the ears of the musicians on stage to give them an accurate representation of what the audience members are hearing – so they have their own ‘stage monitor’ speakers on stage). The sound techs and engineers monitor on-stage sound, vocal and equipment levels, mixes and any effects to ensure the performance sounds equally good to everyone in the space. If you go to a gig and it sounds awful, it may well be the sound technician’s fault rather than the band!
Instrument Techicians
Instrument technicians are responsible for selecting and maintaining the equipment of the musician or musicians they are working for. Guitar and bass techs string guitars, and maintain pedals, cables, amplifiers, cabinets, cases, and even plectrums. As guitarists will often use different guitars, depending on the particular song and the sound they want to achieve, it’s up to the tech to make sure that they have all the right instruments ready at the right time for the musician. Drum techs replace broken skins (usually with a new drum), and ensure mics are kept in position etc. For small or up and coming bands, the crew and technicians required is completely scaled back, and the artists will usually “tech” their own instruments.
This article is part of the unicornjobs.com guide to Working In The Music Business. Click here to go to the guide index.
